Key to Angels' Hearts
by Beta Genius
Summary: And in the depths of death they both finally realize each others feelings, but have no time to say it...or do they? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW THIS LAST CHAPTER! LAST chp up
1. Default Chapter

Note: Ya-di-ya-di-ya....Don't own Kingdom Hearts. Don't own anythin' by Squaresoft. Blah, blah, blah...

Key to Angels' Hearts

"_Sephiroth!_" screamed an angry voice from behind, followed by footsteps. He just continued to walk on, ignoring who it was.

He had arrived in Traverse Town a few days before, hiding out in the balconies of the Gizmo Shop. (It was probably the worst name for a shop, but at least at was a good hideout place). Really, all he wanted was to be left to his solitude. But he knew it would never happen, and eventually his past would catch up with him. And so it did, for that was what was chasing him at this moment.

So what if he had killed Cloud? It was not his fault that the Heartless consumed their world. They came for it, challenging who would become the newest addition to their forces. He really didn't want to, but everyone was forced to participate. And he couldn't loose, oh no. He didn't care if he became a Heartless, but he couldn't lose to his enemy. Not even if it meant death itself.

It also wasn't his fault that the kid soled himself to Hades in return of finding his love. He knew that's what made him weak, for love and friends were just a crutch for the weak, and thus it was all the kid's fault that he became what he was. He'd found his friends, though, and he should've just gone home. The worlds were restored, so he should just leave everything for the better.

But no. He wanted revenge. He wanted Sephiroth to face the fate he had.

He wanted him dead.

Sephiroth finally turned to face him, hearing him approached. With the narrowed eyes and the stricken face he smirked in amusement, finding humor in his attempt. He looked below with just a glace, seeing the small crowd below. In it was his friends, his love, and a few other stupid fools who didn't realize they only came to see Cloud die again.

"What is it?" Sephiroth finally spoke, looking back at him.

"You escaped me once, you will not escape again," Cloud threatened, holding out his clawed-fingered and clenching it.

Sephiroth laughed. "And what makes you think you can kill me? I hope you haven't forgotten that it was I who destroyed your life."

"No, Sephiroth, I haven't forgotten, and I will never forget until your dead for good."

"Strong words from someone so weak."

Cloud folded back his cape, unsheathing it and holding it forward. "Let's finish this."

Sephiroth did the same, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. With a moment of pause, Cloud finally lunged forward, swiping once to deliver a blow across the neck, but he flipped back, dodging. But Sephiroth kicked back up to his feet, coming forward with immense force. It just barely missed Cloud with its nine-foot reach, his sword swiping up onto Sephiroth to hit. But Sephiroth jumped out, flying around one the pillars and hitting Cloud in the back with both his feet. This made him stumble, Cloud falling on the ground. Sephiroth kicked him to flip over, his head falling just over the edge. He threw Cloud's sword off the edge, holding him up by the collar of his cape and holding the masimune just to his throat.

"I'll get you Sephiroth....if it be the last thing I ever do!"

"Unfortunately for you, there's no one left to make a deal with, and you'll be dead for good." He smirked. "Goodbye, Cloud Strife."

He held his arm back for one last, final blow. But when it was an inch away, when everyone could have sworn he would be a goner, something formed. It was a light, high above all over their heads. It looked like the portal that Sephiroth had come through when he entered the Coliseum before, but darker, filled with gold and silver colors. Sephiroth looked up, distracted by it, and with it cloud kicked him in the stomach, grabbing the sword from his hands and slashing across. He looked up quickly, dropping it and jumping off before the light came shooting down, cashing into the roof and the balcony of the Shop.

Sephiroth shouted in anger, the light surrounding him, and everything soon going dark.

When he woke up, he could hardly open his eyes, feeling a swimming feeling in his head. He sat up, a pain coming to his stomach and sides. But it was all washed away to question when he noticed something. It wasn't that he didn't bleed, because he didn't see that, only that something moved...next to him. He looked with narrow eyes to the figure who sat next to him, the eyes which shown in question. This person, wearing a hooded cloak and a mask which concealed anything below their eyes, just stared, and he wondered who this person was and why they hadn't run away yet.

But then he remembered that this was the person who probably was responsible for this. He frowned, and the persons eyes widened in taking it as a warning. But when he reached his hand out, wanting to strangle the person, they screamed, getting up quickly and running around the corner.

"Wait, get back here!" he yelled, holding his stomach as he staggered to his feet. "I'm not going to hurt you...much..." He tried to take a step, but found that the pain was too much. As he looked down at his stomach though, he noticed something that shouldn't be. Cloud had slashed him, it should've killed him, but something was very odd. His wound, that should have gone across his center and on the sides, was now only a scar. He looked up with question, the pair of eyes matched around fair skin now staring at him. "Did...Did you do this?"

The person nodded, finally, but slowly, coming out into view.

"Why?"

The person did not respond, but only continued to stare.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer me?" Still, the person did not answer. "Then at least show your face."

The person hesitated. But soon enough, they threw back the hood of their cloak to reveal an eerie pale-white hair, blue eyes adding to the figure which stood. Sephiroth was almost shock by the beauty that was now there, a woman looking no older than her mid- to late twenties. She smiled almost abruptly, putting her hands behind her back. But Sephiroth scoffed, trying not to look appreciative of what she did. But really, she had saved his life.

"Fine. Since you did what you did without knowing who I was I'll spare your life. Now be gone."

Her smile faded, leading to wonder. He questioned whether she even knew what he was saying, if she could even _talk_, but paid no mind. He finally turned away, beginning to slowly make his way inside. But he stopped, turning when he noticed she had moved. He shook his head, thinking he was imagining it, but again when he heard footsteps he stopped, turning fully. With his narrowed eyes she smiled, Sephiroth putting a hand on his forehead and shaking his head slightly.

'_Why _don't_ I destroy her?_' he thought to himself, continuing in speech. "Uh...Look, why are you following me?"

She just continue to smile, walking a few steps towards him.

"Oh, I get it. You want to come with me, is that it?" The girl nodded. "Well, how can I put it...**_No_**."

She just kept on smiling, almost as if a statue. She wouldn't give up, and Sephiroth knew that. He shrugged, seeing no point in arguing. "Come on, get inside before you freeze."

He'd rather have her stay outside, but there was just something within him that said no. He despised it, but knew nothing more but to let it stay, and to let her stay at the shop. There was only one word he would use to describe it, one word that he sighed to tell what he felt about the past events.

_Damn..._

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So what did you think? Think I should do another chapter? Thought it was really bad? Well, either way, please review!


	2. OneWinged Angel

Just a quick note: In case you're confused about my name *ahem* Beta is the second letter in the Greek alphabet. Since my older brother is the O.G. I'm the SECOND, thus my screenname, eh?

**__**

The One-Winged Angel

He sat there, trying to stay to his solitude. But he just couldn't help but notice she wouldn't stop staring at him. She just sat a few feet away, her back against a wall and staring at him with a smile. It was as she wanted him to say something, to start a conversation of some kind. But like that was ever going to happen...

Though, it was getting on his nerves. He wondered if this was what people _really_ did, seeing how he had kept to himself all his life. His patience was wearing thin, gripping his arm where he had them crossed, his eyes shut. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, gritting his teeth as he snapped his arm in anger, making her flinch away.

"What is _with_ you, anyway?!" Sephiroth questioned.

She didn't answer, but at least she stopped smiling. He was growing tired with no answer for her, and decided it was time to interrogate.

"Alright, that's it! Who are you girl? Where do you from?"

Again, she remained silent. Sephiroth clenched one hand, reaching out with the other and grabbing to collar of her cloak. She squirmed, but in his anger he wasn't willing to let go.

"Well?!" He unclenched his hand and put it under her chin, forcing her mouth open. He pulled it away when he saw what he wanted. "You have a tongue, now speak!"

And yet, she refused to answer. With a moment of thought he pushed her away again, turning back to cross his arms. The girl stood up and ran to the other side of the place, Sephiroth noticing the fear which now struck them. He only shrugged, the girl sliding down to sit back on the floor.

He looked up, his mako-green eyes glaring at her now. He had heard of such a condition in humans, with being born without the capability of speech. If this was a human, which she probably was, then this might be true. Either that, or she couldn't understand him.

"Do you have a name?" he finally questioned, the girl in question. "My name is Sephiroth. Do _you_ have a _name_?"

Once more she did not speak, but instead crawled forward. She quickly grabbed the masamune by his side, and he did not reject. (It wasn't his problem if she killed herself on accident). But she didn't, and held it up, pricking her finger with the blade near the handle. She did not even wince, dropping the sword and going up to face the wall. Soon enough, she began to write something.

It read: "K.E.R.A.H"

She smiled, and Spehiroth nodded, understanding. "So you do understand me." She nodded, going over to sit where she had been. "Your name is Kerah, then? Hmm, strange for a human."

She shrugged, looking up at him with her ice-blue eyes.

"I don't suppose you can tell me where you came from?"

She shook her head.

"Yes, I thought not. Then can you tell me why you're here?"

She shook her head again, but went back over to the wall. Underneath her name, she began to write.

"D.A.R.K.N.E.S.S...C.O.M.E..."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow as she turned back to it, Kerah taking it as a sign to continue.

"F.E.L.L...C.O.M.E...H.E.R.E."

"But I thought the Heartless had been defeat," he stated.

"H.E.A.R.T.L.E.S.S...N.O...D.A.R.K.N.E.S.S...A.L.W.A.Y.S..." She took a brief moment to rub her finger, using her nail to release more blood. "W.H.O...A.R.E...Y.O.U...?"

"I told you, my name is-" He stopped, seeing she was continuing.

"Y.O.U.R....W.I.N.G..."

He paused, flexing his black wing back farther underneath his silver hair, not knowing she had seen. "That's none of your-"

"N.O.T...H.U.M.A.N...Y.O.U...?...A.N.G.E.L...?"

Sephiroth laughed. "Anything _but_. Just because I have a wing doesn't mean I'm such a thing."

She frowned, turning back. "O.N.E...?"

"One wing? Yes, I only have one wing."

"O.N.E...W.I.N.G.E.D...A.N.G.E.L...T.H.E.N...?"

He shook his head, knowing how stupid of a question that was. Ignoring it, he shut his eyes, finally finding peace with his wondering mind. "Time for you to get some sleep. Either that, or don't wake me up, got it?"

She nodded, though he could not see he. She crawled back to her space, tucking her finger in the palm of her hand. she laid on her side, curling up with her back still up against the wall. She continued to stare until she knew Sephiroth was asleep, finding that if he thought it was safe to sleep, she could. As she shut her eyes though, no one was there to notice the gold light which shined within her hand.

***

As he woke up that morning, sitting, still, with his arms crossed and his back against the wall, he saw her still in the same spot she had been, curled up. With it, he thought it to be the perfect time to escape without her. So, standing up and slinging the masamune back into its sheath, he quietly walked out. As he opened the door to the outside, his shadow blocked the rays of light slightly. He hesitated, as if something was stopping him, but gritted his teeth has shook his head, thinking he was mad for stopping at all. When he shut the door, he had failed to realize that one eye was open on him.

When he walked on the balcony ledge, making his way out of this District, he was still contemplating why he stalled. Was he actually feeling _bad_ for leaving her there? _Please_, that was just plain stupid! But as he rubbed his forehead, he heard something coming up behind him, and in aggravation, he almost screamed in anger.

"You..." he hissed, and she smiled sweetly, putting her hands behind her back. "You're **_not_** coming with me, if that's what you think."

But she just continued on smiling, looking up at him. He stepped back, the girl following.

"I said _no_!" He turned, beginning to walk away. he tried to ignore the best he could, but with her soft footsteps echoing behind his, he couldn't take it anymore. He took out his masamune, swinging it around and up to her neck. It glared in the sunlight, but yet she stood stern, staring down at it. Sephiroth, with a few minutes of thought, growled in anger, sheathing the blade once more. He turned, continuing as he walked. "Just be glad you saved me when you did, or you'd be dead by now."

She only took it as a compliment statement, smiling as she followed him once more.

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TA-DA! There's the end of part two! Please tell me what you think of it and Review! (please, very truthfully...I don't care if you say it stunk, as long as it's honest!)


	3. Finding Home

**__**

Finding Home

She finally came up to walk by his side when she thought his anger had calmed. Traverse Town had become but a mere dot in the horizon, Sephiroth not turning to look back. He only tired to look forward, not minding the girl to his side. Still, it was kind of nice not to have her talk. That way she wouldn't be annoying to the point of cutting that tongue out of her mouth. Though she didn't speak, something else was pleasant about her being there. He couldn't exactly figure out what, but tried not to think about it too much.

She walked along, a pad of paper and pen in her hand. Sephiroth thought that he couldn't have to keep cleaning the masamune when he could just get that for her. So, before they left, he took it from one of the outside stands discretely, putting it in his pocket before they got out of the city. Without even looking at her he just handed it to her, but he could tell she smiled because of it. And so she just kept it to her side, waiting until she thought of something to right.

Soon she did, though, and he took it to read it.

"Where are we going?" it read.

"You'll see when we get there," he stated, handing it back.

She wrote something else. "Is it somewhere important?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter? I could've just left you there."

He handed it back and she wrote on the back: "Why are you so upset?"

He stopped when he read it, beginning to laugh. But she frowned, taking it as no laughing matter. "Upset? You think I'm _upset_? That's a stupid statement!" He wadded up the paper and threw him behind him.

She wrote another note and handed it to him. "Then why are you so cold shoulder?"

"...I have always been this way, and I would ask that you not question me again," he stopped, his gaze finally meeting hers. "Understand?"

She paused but soon nodded slowly. He shook his head, turning around and continuing on his way. Kerah only followed in her normal silence, her bare feet only making small scuffs against the gravel trail.

When they came to a small wooded area, Sephiroth noticed that she was dragging behind. He thought about just walking on, but it tore at him, and drove him to wonder when he heard more of her scuffing feet. He turned, his eyes narrow.

"Can't you walk faster? We do not-" He stopped, seeing her stumble. He looked to her feet, his eyes looking to question when he saw them, blood soaked. It trailed all the way back to where the dust ate it up, still scraping out onto the gravel path. But yet she smiled when he gazed up to her face, still trying to manage in walking. He just stood there as she slowly past, continuing without looking at him in struggle. He put a hand n his forehead, feeling annoyed, and a bit agitated in it all. She'd eventually loose too much blood a pass out, so he might as well do something now before that happened.

He came up from behind, taking her arm and putting it around his shoulder. He put his arm under her knees, sweeping her up off her feet and supporting her by placing his other hand behind her back. They would move somewhat slower, but better if she stayed on her feet. Sephiroth tried not to look at her, keeping his gaze straight ahead, but she smiled softly, putting her head against his shoulder and shutting her eyes slightly to only reveal a blurred source of colors around.

They reached a stream soon enough that broke the shaded trees grasp. He set her down against the nearest one, though, and took a look at her feet. Oddly enough, from the blood that they had been soaked in, to the very cuts he had seen before, were now completely gone. They were perfect, in a word, with no marks on them. He stood up a sat a few feet away against a rock, thinking of ways that could be so. Finally, after the minutes of still silence, he just asked.

"Your feet are completely healed," he stated, and she nodded. "How is that so?"

She took out the pad of paper and pen and began to write, handing it to him after. "They just did, like I just healed you."

"Do you know _how_?"

She wrote: "I don't know. It just happens."

"Huh...figures."

There was a moment of hesitation, when she finally wrote: "Where do you come from?"

He raised an eyebrow, soon smirking. "I can't say."

"Why not?" she wrote.

"Like you don't know, I don't know."

She frowned narrowing her eyes. "You're mocking me, aren't you?"

"You got it," he laughed.

"Why, if you know who you are?"

"Because," he said. "I don't tell anyone about my past. It just seemed funny at the time to mock you."

"But where do you come from?"

"Like I said, I don't tell anyone."

"Why?"

"Because it is useless conversation."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, and she grinned humorously. "Alright, if you tell me something, I'll tell you something. Agree?"

She nodded, beginning to write. "I've never been here before."

"Alright...My name is Sephiroth."

She gave a death gaze. "Be serious!"

"Alright, alright! I was a SOLDIER almost my whole life...that is, until the Heartless came...and something else."

"What's a soldier?"

"It's a organization that takes care of my worlds problems. Only a few could be an elite, and...regretfully I was."

"Why regretfully?"

"Because..." He shook his head, realizing he had said too much. "Aren't you suppose to be saying something?" 

She grinned again, putting a hand behind the back of her head and going back to her paper. "Like what?"

"Where did you live?"

"I think I lived in a small house by myself. Yes, it was in a large field, full of grains with one tree out the back."

"Do you remember how you got here, or the day you came?"

She hesitated, the thoughts coming back to her. She narrowed her eyes in wonder of her own memories, beginning to write. When he finally read it, his own thoughts began to wander.

"It was night, with no moon. I was reading, sitting in my usual chair when I heard a sound. It wasn't the wind whipping across the area, but something else. It was like a hissing sound, and it wasn't normal, so I went to go see. When I put my hand on the door, I couldn't get it open, like it was lock shut. But when I finally pulled my hardest it came open. After a while I couldn't see with my hair getting in my eyes, because the wind was like a vacuum, leading up into a large vortex in the sky. But suddenly, I felt a presence behind me. I turned a quickly backed away when I saw a pair of vicious yellow, maybe orange, eyes before me. I could tell it was threatening, and decided I would take my chances with the vortex. So...in a matter of seconds I ended up here."

He looked up, seeing her now sitting by the stream. She put her hand in the water, picking up a clump of dirt and bringing it out. Sephiroth got up, walking over and knelling next to her.

"So the darkness did come back," he said, staring off into nothingness.

She slowly dropped the sand back into the water, watching it crumble back with the rest. But Sephiroth jumped out of his state of thought when he saw her back away, terror in her eyes. He saw the dark pool forming in the water, standing up and unsheathing the masamune. The dark creatures finally took form, their yellow eyes glowing angrily in wanting their newest prey.

"Stay back," Sephiroth managed to say from escaping his throat, feeling stupid for saying it but knew he should anyway.

He was about to attack, but saw they were forming more and more by the second. When the last formed, he finally had enough. Slicing anything that was black and moved, he thought this was much too easy. Though, it just seemed that way, but in reality would get much, much harder. Each shadow creature he cut in half, two more where their to take it's place. Soon enough he was overwhelmed, their claws swiping through his trench coat, cutting at his legs and jumping at him a slashing his arms. He looked back to Kerah, who stood up near a tree, four more closing in on her.

That was the last straw. The excuse he made was that since he carried her that far, it shouldn't be in vain, (though he knew, deep down it was something else). So, whistling, he lured the others, along with the rest, several feet away. Finally, when he had them all within range, he grinned menacingly, raising the masamune high before lunging back into the ground.

"Sin Harvast!" he shouted, casting an immense flaming ring to shockwave through the ground and up through the remaining creatures. He laughed to how pitiful they were now, just particles of dust settling with the rest. As he turned back, his grin seemed to fade when he saw Kerah's pale face, falling back in horror as he took one step towards her. "What? What is it?" he asked, looking around. He just couldn't see until he stepped closer that it was _him_ she was afraid of.

As he about reached down to help her up, she shook her head slowly, backing away still until she could finally run.

"Hey wait! Where...are you going...?" As he shortly began to grasp it, he put his face in his hand, feeling now like such an idiot. He thought, for one brief instant, that this might be his ticket to get her out of his hair. But again came that tugging sensation to his mind, and he gripped his hands, marching after her.

As he came to a small area where the trees cleared, but the branches did not from the sky, he saw her. Oddly enough, it was somewhere he did not expect. There was a pool was water there was well, and she was hovering _above_ it. She just stood there, as she would on normal ground. Except she was a few inches above, with no movement in the reflection water at all. Though, there was a few ripples here and there, only because, as he released his wing and floated towards her, he saw the tears roll down her face. She did not back away this time, but only got out her pad of paper and pen, some of the ink running as she wrote. Finally she handed it to him.

"They're after me. I hoped they wouldn't come, but they did. I just hope...can you please promise you'll tell me the truth?"

"Of course." It wasn't the greatest thing he had ever said, be he could try to say the truth the best he could.

She wrote back to it: "Are you...Heartless?"

"_A_ Heartless, no. Now heartless...I'm not quite sure."

"But why?"

"I don't think I'm _so_ heartless...but I have felt for no one in my life."

"I don't care if you don't like people so much, but that attack...How?"

"I just learned it on my world. That's all. Nothing big."

"Then...you won't kill me?"

He laughed. "No, of course not! Look, I may have said that earlier but...you know what? I kind of like you around. You don't talk, you're not annoying, and you have that healing power of yours. I think I'll keep you around for a bit, huh? And when a Heartless take you, it will be over my cold, dead body."

She smiled, taking a moment of pause for her last tear to fall. Reaching forward, she hugged him. Sephiroth was taken by surprise, blinking to make sure this wasn't a dream or something. Maybe he was still asleep in the city, any moment now waiting to wake up. But as he put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back gently, he knew it was no dream, for he felt a small, soft smile creep onto his face. All of the sudden, his hardened, cold shell that incased in soul began to crack, and he felt his dark heart began to lightened, just with one smile back from her.

He put his arm around her shoulder, showing her back the way they came. She did not write anything more, but they just walked in silence, finally admiring the turning leaves' colors.

***

He sat where he had been since they got back, looking out over the river and to the other bank, watching out for the Heartless. Kerah, after letting her feet heal more from where they began to get scrapes, curled up on her side, wrapping herself tighter in her cloak as she shut her eyes. A faint smile came to his face, seeing her safe. The fire which he had set in a small hole in the ground with the fading light just illuminated her white hair in a golden glow. He sat back on the rack behind him, beginning to stare up at the stars above. His consciousness began to drift, but suddenly he was brought back when the fire quickly began to go out. It didn't even dwindle, but the smoke began to swirl into the air, higher than it should have. 

Sephiroth rose to his feet, watching closely to what it formed. He had an idea, but...It was impossible. Why would _he_ be here? Why would this demon come to him?

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A/N Who is this demon, and what does he want? Please review not only to tell me what you think, but possibly to guess who it might be!!!(I love it when people guess!)


	4. The Thin Black Line

**__**

The Thin Black Line

"Hello there, champ, how's life treated you?" he said, Sephiroth narrowing his eyes.

"What do you want, Hades?" Sephiroth question, annoyed by the fact that he'd called him 'champ'.

"I'm here because I have a proposition for you," he stated.

"If you think I'm going back to the Coliseum you have another thing coming," he said, crossing his arms.

"No, no, no! I mean nothing by that!" Hades laughed. "I came here because...you have something I want."

"The girl?" he inquired and Hades nodded. "Think again. She's not going anywhere."

"Are you sure about that?"

Sephiroth reached for the masamune. "You sure you want to threaten me?"

"Hey, now!" Hades laughed, waving his hands in front of him. "I'm only saying that you won't give her up for anything."

"No, not anything," he said, shaking his head and turning away.

"Really? Not even if it meant his death?"

Sephiroth looked back, question in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Cloud. You want him dead, it's been, like, your ultimate goal in life, right?" He suddenly vanished, only to form with a hand in front of Sephiroth, forming the future scenario in front of him. "He's been your mortal enemy, and thus you've wanted him dead. Believe me, I know what your going through, I wanted someone dead, but I just didn't get it because some kid was too _kind_ to kill that pansy Hurc-..._Anyway_, you give me the girl, I'll give you Cloud to kill. What do you say?"

"You can do that?" Sephiroth question deep from within his consciousness.

"Sure I can! He still basically belongs to me, keep in mind."

He stepped forward, turning to face Hades. "What will you do with her?"

"Oh, you know, use her powers, take over the universe, nothing big. But hey, at least you'll have Cloud dead! So, what's your answer?"

Sephiroth hesitated, thinking. The assumption was great to him, the best thing that could happen to him, rather. This girl runs into him, and with a snap of his fingers he could trade her for his enemies death, which he had wanted ever since he met him. A smirk formed in his mind, but it was not able to reach his mouth. Something held it back, something deep inside him. Though his head wanted so much to make this trade, his heart would not let him. He just could not say it. But he could say something else, something that could buy him some time to build up his mind power to say it.

"I'll think about it," he finally said, sending Hades to frown, but stay calm.

"Okay, alright, fair enough. I'll give you a week. By then, you should have your decision, right?"

Sephiroth nodded, and soon enough Hades snapped his fingers, evaporating into nothing. The fire formed again, lightening the area. Sephiroth sat sown again, his thoughts at a wander. Here he was, faced with a choice, (and a greater choice that he had yet to realize). The death of his enemy, Cloud Strife, all with one single word to take Kerah away. If it had only been a day earlier, then this would be no sort of problem. But _no_, he just _had_ to get feelings _now_. Luckily it wasn't too late, though, and over the next week he could be able to see the flaws in her, to somehow find her the slightest bit annoying. Somehow, he knew, he would be able to do it, and _had_ to, if he ever wanted him dead. It was nice to have her around, but if it meant to have his life long hope come true, he would have to give her up.

But he had a week to do it. This time, he would have to be careful not to get so attached.

In the morning, after a night of thinking, Kerah woke up by the stroke of the morning light. She sat up and smiled to the sight of him, but was not greeted with one back.

"Come on, we should get going."

Kerah was taken by surprise, but continued on with him. They crossed the stream, leading once again to the open fields and one long, winding gravel road. Soon enough, she wanted to ask what was the matter with him, but as he read it he only crumbled it up and tossed it.

Kerah raised on eyebrow, writing another note and handing it too him. "Well, why are you so upset?"

Again he crumbled it up and threw it away. She wrote another note, but this time it read: "Did you loose your voice?"

"No I did not loose my voice, now stop asking me all these questions."

She did what he asked, travel on for yet another half an hour before finding something on the side of the road. She picked up the daisy planted in the grass from the many there, run in front of him and making him stop. She leaned forward a held it out, smiling. He only twitched an eyebrow, taking it and just staring. He soon rolled his each, crushing it in his hand and carrying on.

Kerah just stood there, blinking confuse. But she smiled, getting out her notepad again and writing something else down. She ran after him when she had finished, handing it to him as he walked and falling back.

After a moment of opening the folded paper, he stopped, hesitating as he read it.

"You need a hug?" he said, reading it out loud. Suddenly, he felt her jump on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck slightly and lifting her feet off the ground.

"Hey, _what do you think you're_-" He stopped, noticing something. She put her head on his shoulder, laughing lightly. She took on arm and patted the top of his head, still keeping a smile. "Wait a second, if you can laugh, that means your can _talk_!"

She stopped laughing, shaking her head. With the notepad and pen still in her hands, she wrote it down. "I have vocal cords, but that doesn't mean I can speak your language."

"Oh I get it. So you can laugh, write, and under stand everything, but you just can't speak it," he said, forgetting his place to act cold. Kerah new it was an act all along, but needed him to get out of it. 

Sephiroth noticed how light she was, just hanging there from her arms wrapped around his neck. She wasn't even chocking him in the slightest bit, and it was actually quite funny.

"You don't expect to get carried like this do you?" he joked.

She nodded her head, a grin on her face. He laughed by it, beginning to walk. It was strange to laugh, because Sephiroth had never really done it in joy before, but it made him feel..._good_ inside, if that word was in his vocabulary at all.

"Don't think I'm going to start carrying you everywhere, though. It'll probably make you start acting like a snobbish princess or something."

She grew suddenly quiet, her laughing ceasing and her smile fading. Sephiroth stopped, noticing this.

"What? Did I offend you or something?"

She shook her head, smiling again. She hugged him again, and they continued on there way.

Sephiroth did not stop walking, but eventually, he knew, she would have to sleep. She couldn't hang on his back forever, so instead, when he saw her eyes were drooping shut, he set her down, suggesting he carry her. She found it odd that he'd do this, but took the gesture. So, like before with his one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back he carried her as she slept, her head rested against her shoulder. 

The moonlight showed brightly in the clear sky, reflecting softly on her fine white hair. No matter how much he tried, no matter how much he wanted Cloud dead, the past few days would not be gone from his head. Her kindness could not be forgotten from him, and it was almost _too_ unreal for him to believe.

In the shadows lurked the creature of the Heartless, eyeing him with every step they took. Though, they would come no further, due to the orders of their master, Hades. Their yellow eyes burned in the failed light, but Sephiroth ignored them, walking on.

When the sun rose over the horizon, Sephiroth was still walking, thinking. Kerah moved her head, her eyes twitching. A few strands of her hair fell over her face, finally waking up. This time, though, it was he was smiled first, Kerah smiling back.

Days went on like this. Kerah walked with Sephiroth, talking in many conversations, and when she finally got tired, Sephiroth would carry her. Finally when five days had past with this, Sephiroth decided it was time to rest his feet. A tree sat out in a field, placed against a small stream. Kerah when to it immediately, seeing what it had in it, as Sephiroth went to the tree, setting his back up against it. He took off his shoes, barely able to do so with the pain that soon struck them.

They were bloodied, blisters and cuts all over them. He did not care, but only wrapped them with any extra cloth he had with him, (mostly with the cloth wrapping the sheath). When Kerah came back up, Sephiroth sat there with his arms crossed and his eyes shut, his feet outstretched. She saw the blood seeping through the cloth, and saw Sephiroth's expression to take the pain.

As if urgent, she dropped to her knees, putting her hands over both his feet. He opened his eyes, feeling it, and only watched as a bright gold color formed over them. Within seconds she realized them, her hands not even covered in blood. He brought his foot forward, unwrapping them to find that they were completely healed, not even a scratch on them. She only smiled at him, sitting still to see his reacting.

"You know...you didn't have to do that," Sephiroth stated.

She wrote and handed it to him: "That's the reason you kept me around right?"

"Yeah...sort of. Back then..."

"Back then?" she wrote.

"Back...when I didn't understand who you were. Now let's drop the subject okay."

She stared in question, going over to him. He sat next to him, gazing up into the corner of his eye. He tried not to look, keeping a straight face, but soon he couldn't help it. He looked to her, shrugging.

"What? I like you around. Big deal."

She suddenly smiled softly, putting her arms around his shoulders and hugging him. He did not squirm, but was too surprise to. Instead, he put an arm around her, and a hand on her face, lifting her head from where she had her forehead on his shoulder. There were tears on her face, and though she was happy, she was sad as well. For what reason he could not be sure, but at this moment, he new what he was...for the very first time.

His whole life, he had shut people out. For what he had done, for what pain he had caused. He didn't want anyone into his life, for he was afraid he would hurt them as well. He did not want anyone to know who he was, what he had been, because who would ever _want_ to know a monster? He did not know if he was still one, for the remainder of his life he spent in solitude, locked away from society.

But then she fell into his life. The night he would've killed again. The night his title would be replenished. But it wasn't, because somehow he had been distracted, and had found the person who would change. Though asked for the life of hers to find the death of Cloud's, he just couldn't do it. He just couldn't give her up. 

He used to think attachment lead to weakness. Maybe that was still so, but he didn't care. That did not matter to him. His old life was dead, the thin black line that separated his crazed self from the real world collapsed. She cared, and that was all that mattered.

Sephiroth stood up, holding out his hand to help her up. She took it, and with it, when she stood up, she jumped on his back again, putting her arms around his neck. He laughed, Kerah doing the same, as they both walked on.

This was the fifth day, but he had already made up his mind.

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A/N Well, there you have it. End of part four. So what did you think of this one? Hmm? Kind of different perspective on Sephiroth, so tell me what you think of it and please Review!


	5. The Backstabbing Clause of Evil

**__**

The Backstabbing Clause of Evil

"Come on, Kerah, time to get up," Sephiroth said gently, setting her down on her feet. He had to hold her there for a moment so she could catch her balance. When she had, she began to look around. Sephiroth tried to talk to her, but somehow she seemed unreachable in her state of fear. "Kerah, please listen to me," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You must trust me. I'm going to do something if one event leads to another, and you must trust me I would never hurt you..."

Her eyes wandered, eyeing all around to the surroundings. It was dark, damp, and cold, dead trees looming over with their enormous branches, blocking out all light. Sephiroth could not grasp her attention over it, but eventually he put his hands on the side of her face, making her look forward.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded her head, getting out the notepad and writing down something. She handed it to him. "Where are we?"

With that, they both heard a howling of the wind, a voice coming from behind Kerah. They both turned to see the dark figure stand before them.

"Hello again. I do hope you've come up with your decision, Sephiroth."

"Yes I have," he answered. "...You can have her."

Kerah's eyes widened, turning back to Sephiroth. He only kept stern, staring up at Hades. Hades grinned, reaching out to grab Kerah. She backed away, Hades beginning to frown, as he had to step forward to get to her. He laughed, seeing her run behind Sephiroth.

"Heh, cute little thing, isn't see? Okay stand out of the way."

Sephiroth looked over his shoulder to her, seeing the fear and horror in her eyes. He looked back, seeing Hades waiting. He smirked, chuckling a bit as he paused, continuing soon after.

"First you have to tell me why she can't speak our language."

"_What_?!" Hades proclaimed, his hair turning from the blue flame it was to a deadly red. "That wasn't part of the deal!"

Sephiroth reached for his masamune, seeing the Heartless beginning to form and surround. He gritting his teeth, looking back to Kerah. His eyes were the only reassurance she knew he wasn't going to hurt her, when he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and put an arm around it, putting the masamune up to her neck. Hades glared on in worry, waving his hand back to summon the Heartless away. He calmed, grinning his normal smirk, and his hair turning back to blue.

"Alright, no need to get drastic. I'll tell you. The reason why she can't speak our language is because...Well first off, she's heard us speak it, and she learned to write it very fluently, but the reason why she cannot talk...is because she's never _talked_ before."

Sephiroth stared on in wonder. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying she's never spoken _anything_ before, thus her vocal cords are not used to speaking in any sort of tongue."

"Who is she?" he question. Hades hesitated, but when Sephiroth tightened the sword to her neck, he spoke.

"She is who she says she is. However, she has never said _what_ she is, has she?"

Sephiroth eyed him in skeptical thought, wondering if what he was saying was true.

"Well, see for yourself. Everything will be explained once you take off that cloak of hers."

Sephiroth hesitated, but took the sword away, turning her around to face him. She looked up to him with sad eyes, but knew what they had said. She reached up to the tied string of the cloak, soon letting it drop to the ground. She buried her face in her hands, tears stating to come down her face. Sephiroth was struck with stunned shock, unbelieving of what he saw.

She wore a long, white dress, gold trimming along the short sleeves a blue jeans, he could see by her ankles. He could not tell of this before because of the cloak she wore, and he only thought it was thick. But it hadn't been, but something else. On her back, spreading slowly out, was a pair of white feathered wings...

"You see, you have that wing because you were tested on, morphed that way. Imagine what it would be like to be born with them." Hades smirked. "Her family, her friends, everyone she knew abandoned her, because she was something different. She grew up in a race of perfections, a race known by magic...A race that created the door. So I guess you could say she was a princess or something..."

Sephiroth's eyes widened. "T-they created the door to all worlds?"

Hades nodded. "And they have the power to open it again. So, that's why I need her, so I can open up the door once again."

"Who hired you?!" Sephiroth said angrily.

"People...But that's none of your concern, now is it?"

"Just give me a minute."

"Yes, alright. But _a minute_."

Sephiroth took her by the shoulders, bring her away from Hades and lifting her chin. She out her hands to her sides, but her eyes were still filled with tears.

"You came...because you thought I was like you?" Sephiroth asked, and she nodded slowly. "But if you knew who I was..._why_ did you come to me?"

She took out the notepad, writing down the most simplest thing, but the most heartwarming thing Sephiroth could ever had gotten. "Because I knew there was a light left in you."

"Kerah..." He put his arms around her shoulders, shutting his eyes as he put a hand on the back of her head. In a way that only she could hear, he continued. "You're not going anywhere. I'll never let them take you..."

Hades snickered. "I think not."

With that, something dark, black, reached out behind Kerah, wrapping around her waste and throat. She would not let go, and neither would Sephiroth, but something grabbed his ankle tripping him and making him loose his grip.

"Kerah!" He grabbed the masamune at his waste, cutting whatever it was at his ankle and running forward. Out of his notice, another batch was going to come get him, but Hades held up his hand, having a plan in mind. The black essence holding Kerah slowly began to back away too, _letting_ Sephiroth catch up.

He tried to cut through it, but it just didn't let go, forming more in place of it. There was nothing he could do, that is if he didn't want to fry Kerah to a crisp. He held out a hand suddenly, putting it on the side of his face and smiling. He only remained stricken.

"I'll find you again. I promise."

She tried to say something, a word forming in the back of her throat. He tried to listen, but in a second could not longer. A splitting pain came to his chest, looking down. Shockingly, through his right shoulder, a flaming spike driven all the way through it. he heard a laugh from behind, and a dull scream from Kerah. Finally, as he fell to his knees, he heard the word she had been trying to say.

"Se...Seph...Seph_i_roth!!!"

With that, she disappeared into darkness.

Sephiroth felt his numb head hit the floor, a linger of thoughts running through his head. One, however, stuck out above the rest, before he finally faded.

_'I fell into weakness...but I regret...nothing...'_

***

--_A tragic event has befallen you, has it not?--_

Sephiroth heard the voice as he fell, fell deeper into darkness. He was in comfort, as there were many here, falling for eternity, but it was nothing to him. Nothing meant anything anymore, now hat he had rejoined with Lifestream. It was kind of ironic, seeing how his past life, he tried to obtained such power, but now he was only apart of it.

--_You no like it here? We keep you company_--

Sephiroth felt dumb for answering, but did it anyway. "I don't care. I might as well rot forever."

--_Guilty, are ye?_--

"Not guilty...regretful, that I had not held on to her."

--_Care for her safety?_--

"I care for her _life_. Who knows what the Heartless will do to get power. They'll take her heart, their swallow her in darkness..."

--_Then she be with us, yes?_--

"She doesn't deserve this...I'm the cold blooded killer who should be dead, she...her life actually means something."

--_...You would protect her?_--

"If it be the light I have left."

--_You want life, do ye?_--

Sephiroth hesitated, but soon answered. "Could I get it back?"

--_Hades does not watch us here. He tends to his own area. We could send you back, but the question it would you use it to help the living?_--

"Yes, yes I would. I would devout every ounce of power I have."

--_Hmm, you sound sincere enough..._--

--_Very well, you may go back...May your luck be well..._--

Sephiroth felt a numbing in his head, soon feeling a wall against his back. He looked up, his eyes narrow. He was greeted with the stares of people around, wondering how he had gotten there. But he ignored them, standing up to strike fear him their eyes.

He grinned finding it humorous that he was here. Out of all the worlds, Lifestream had to send him here. Though, it wasn't too surprising. It was the closest thing to the Heartless as it came. He walked on, though, through the crowded, dark streets of Midgar, his mind set out to find Kerah.

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A/N I thought this chapter kind of set out something so please review and tell me what you think!


	6. Something More

**__**

Something More

He entered into a small tavern, looking to be the slum area of this large city. He recognized the name on the sign outside, a suddenly coldness coming to his heart. But he stepped in anyway, into this place known as "Tifa's Seventh Heaven".

He took a seat somewhere near the back, trying to collect any information he could by ease dropping on conversations, seeing who knew and who didn't know about the Heartless. There was one group of people who couldn't seem to stop talking about it, so he kept his attention towards them most of the time.

"So how do you think they came back?" a woman asked, leaning over the counter.

"I don't know, but it seems that they never left." The voice sounded familiar to him, but he blocked it out to hear what they had to say next.

"How can that be, though? The door had been shut."

"Maybe, but it might have never been locked..."

"But how would they be able to open it without a Keybarer?"

He new, and it wasn't anything he ever wanted. They'd use Kerah for it, to unleash the rest of the Heartless. After that they'd probably kill her, or maybe use her body like they had the boy Riku's for Ansem's physical form until he was strong enough. Either way he needed to stop it, before he soul was cast into darkness too.

"Well, shouldn't be concerned about that now," the woman stated. "Got to get back to work."

She came around and approached him, Sephiroth trying not to look up. He remembered this girl, a very long time ago, but didn't want to. It was like the other, only this one could be brought back with the service of the one he hated most.

"Hello, sir, can I take your order? Today's specials are-"She stopped, looking over her notepad to the man who sat before her. She could not mistake the long, silver hair and the cold mako eyes which were diverted the other way. She backed away, bumping into a table as she did and making the room go silent. The man she had been talking to stood up, his eyes narrow as he knew who it was.

"Sephiroth...!" He walked over, suddenly grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and bringing him to his feet, Aerith just staring for a moment. "How dare you show your face in here! I should kill you were you stand."

Sephiroth grinning. "Go ahead. I've already been dead once."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Hades. He killed me because I had something he wanted. Something that, as you put it, unleashed the Heartless once again." He held up his hand, grabbing his wrist. Cloud flinched back, letting him ago as he felt the ice cold blood flow within Sephiroth. He only laughed again. "Surprised? Don't be, because that's what happens when your brought back to life within the first hour."

"What do you want, Sephiroth?" Aerith asked.

"I want to know where the Heartless are," he stated.

"Why?" Cloud questioned.

"You don't need an explanation," he spat. "Just tell me and I'll be gone."

"Shouldn't you know? Didn't Hades tell you?"

"No. He took what he wanted, and left me for dead."

"How did that occur? Weren't you suppose to be the strongest fighter in the Coliseum?"

Sephiroth hesitated, feeling weak for even talking to him. He should have just cut his throat this instant and be done with it. If he wasn't alive now known of this would be happening, Hades would have never presented him with the deal. His anger got to him, Sephiroth taking Cloud by the neck and holding him above ground.

"Tell me now! I don't have time for this!"

"...Why not?" Aerith asked in a small voice, question gripping her. "Why can't we get an explanation?"

"Because you do not need one," he stated angrily. "All I ask is for you to tell me!"

"You ask?" Cloud questioned chokingly. "That doesn't seem much like you."

"Fine," he said, dropping Cloud and turning away. "I'll find her myself."

As she treaded off, Cloud and Aerith stared after him, wondering what he meant by that last statement. As Cloud recovered from his tight throat, Aeirth ran after him, seeing him walk off into the mist.

"Sephiroth, wait!" she shouted, seeing him disappear. When she ran after him, she came to a sudden halt when she saw the masamune end pointed at her neck, Sephiroth's eyes narrow.

"Don't make me have to kill you again."

Aerith stood stern. "You don't want to kill me. You don't want to hurt anyone...do you?"

"Except for those who took my life," he said, slowly taking it away.

"Sephiroth, why are you after the Heartless? Who is this _her_ you mentioned?"

He paused, but turned away and began to walk on. "It is none of your concern."

"But if you tell me, I'll tell you where you might be able to find her."

"No thanks, I think I'll have better luck searching on my own."

Aerith stared after him as he continued to walk, shouting as he got further and further away. "That girl...She's the one that came form the light the day you tried to kill Cloud. She stayed with you, and that's what Hades took! She's the one who can open the door, and your going after her because...because you want to stop it!"

Sephiroth shook his head, mumbling. "You don't even know the half of it."

Aerith stared, blinking. She found almost disbelief in the thought struck in her head, but it had to be so. Why else would he be so persistence. She put her hands to her mouth, amplifying her shout as she spoke it into the dark night.

"You fell in love, didn't you, Sephiroth?"

She could see him stop, turning around slowly. He just stared, his expression blank, but in a sense, she could tell, his soul sad. He walked back, his eyes threatening. "Alright, tell me where it is. But if you _ever_ tell Cloud of my weakness, let it be known that you'll both suffer a terrible, terrible fate."

She smiled, putting her hands in front of her. "Your secret's safe with me. Though, there is one thing I forgot to mention."

"What?"

"We're going there too. We want to see what's up too. Maybe we can even grant you some help."

He scoffed. "Whatever. Just tell me where."

"The City of the Ancients."

"Where you died?"

Aerith raised an eyebrow. "Where everyone died. Don't you remember?"

"Don't remind me. Just stay out of my way, got it?"

"Okay, I'll make sure of that."

Sephiroth walked on, passing Cloud as he came out of the tavern, hearing the conversation of what happened. He heard her say about telling him, but he knew she kept her promise. She was like that, even if he was a cold blood killer...

_Her_ murderer from long ago. But as the old saying goes, old wounds heal. She must've believed that, or else, he knew, she'd backstab him for sure...

In the depths of death the stood, the sun streaking through the sky and bouncing off the crystal structure before him. So many lives were taken here, even before he was born, and he could feel their souls collect here. He wondered if he should enter here, in this holy place, for he knew he had been damned from the start the moment he took a life. The many lives he took, and the ambition he created for the power of everything, was what lingered within him, that the past would not cease to haunt him, no matter if he wanted redemption.

But the voice that he heard for the first, and last time, rose above it all, the wind coming up and making it sound like that was it. He shut his eyes, the vision coming back to him. The darkness consumed the light which it took, the face, and the cry, that dug a hole deep in him.

"_Sephiroth!!!_"

He opened his eyes once more, the voice fading with the wing. He stepped forward onto the path which lead to the structure of the ancients, his guilt making way for revenge. He did not care anymore about this place, what the past was about. He didn't even care if he was any bit part of the light, for he knew what he was after was...

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A/N Short yes. No significance? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! This leads to a lot, my readers, so please review if you want it continued!


	7. Everything and Nothing

**__**

Everything and Nothing

As he entered to a flight of steps leading down, he found himself falling into an abyss. When he finally reached rock bottom, he saw himself wandering in darkness, death filling the air. He kept the masamune close to him, jumping to every sound he came across. A new feeling came to him, one he had never felt before in his life. But now that he was here, in this place, he finally knew what everyone felt when they came across him...

_Fear..._

As he jumped again to a sound behind him, he heard a wicked laugh, something cold going across the bottom of his chin. He turned sharply, an eyebrow being raised as he faced to the figures in front of him. They were women wearing ragged dresses, being all pale gray, and almost see through to the darkness behind. Sephiroth could recall remembering what these things were called..._ghosts_, if it may.

One of them ran their hand through her hair, eyeing him. "Hey, cutie, where did you come from?"

"The surface? We don't get much of that down here anymore," the other said in a squeaky, high-pitched voice, floating towards him.

"So whacca here for?"

"The one with the light. Where is she?"

"_Oh_," the first stated, floating through him and coming around the other side, putting the hand under his chin again. "The girl Hades brought down?"

"Yes, her. Where is she?" he questioned.

"Well, who's to say we're going to tell you?" the other inquired, putting a finger on his nose and giggling. "You staying here long?"

"I don't have time for this!" he said, taking out the masamune and swiping it through the air, they both backed away, beginning to laugh.

"Come on, have a little fun."

"Unless you tell me where she is," he stated, summoning a holy spell to banish the creatures for good, "I'll make your lives condemned for eternity!"

The women looked at each other, then beginning to laugh. In unison, they said, "Too late!"

"For isn't our eternity in darkness?"

"Yes, I believe so."

They continued to laugh, soon pointing in the other direction. A black door suddenly formed, the women shrugging.

"Just keep walking and you'll find her! Simple!"

Sephiroth sheathed his masamune walking in the direction. When the doors opened, he could hear the unison voices speak, almost as if being drowned in water.

"Don't be a stranger now!" They laughed, and faded in darkness as they were to spend eternity.

Sephiroth stepped forward one last step before a spotlight fell on him. He lifted an arm to block it from his eyes, but brought it down when his pupils adjusted. He gritted his teeth ready for anything that came out at him. But suddenly the light was blinked out, fires being lit around his feet in a path leading a dark, skeleton thrown with torches lit at the top. He wasn't quite sure if their was one in the middle until he saw a pair of eyes and a figure form, laughing.

"So you came all this way for nothing, did you?" Hades said, resting his elbow on the armrests and putting his hands together in front of him as he always did.

"Not for nothing, for my journey here shall not be in vain," Sephiroth stated angrily.

"Well, pull up a chair, maybe we can talk about why you're here." He waved his hand, a black chair materializing behind Sephiroth.

He only frowned, walking forward and grabbing the masamune. "You know why I'm here. Now tell me, where is the girl Kerah?"

"Is that what you're calling her now? Kerah, is it? Hmm, guess I didn't get the chance to ask before the Heartless took her," he sneered, shrugging.

"Where is she?" he repeated, his voice more threatening.

"I'll tell you. No problem. The question is what will you give for it?"

Sephiroth growled. "You never give anything without something in return, do you?"

"Hey, that's my job," he grinned. "Now, what'll it be?"

Sephiroth lowered his head, gripping his hand. "What do you will?"

"Well that masamune with fetch a pretty penny. How about it? I'll take you to her if you hand it over."

Sephrioth gripped it in his hands in anger for a time, not believing he had to give it up. (But then again, what did he have left? There was nothing else Hades would want, not even his soul, if he had one left, and joining his legion would only be a foolish mistake of a backstab). But, even in Hades's astonishments, he tossed it to his feet, turning a cold shoulder.

"Alright, now take me to her," he stated.

Hades grinned, snapping shi fingers and the sword vanishing. He stood up, walking over. "You care that much now, don't you? Heh, you should've taken my proposal when I first suggested it. But if you insist." He snapped his fingers again, Sephiroth feeling the floor give out beneath him. He shouted something angrily, but Hades, closed up the floor before he could finish, waving his flaming hand once again. "Of course, I never said I'd take you to her physical body. Oh well, have fun looking through the, oh I don't know, billions of memories down there!" He laughed, walking way.

***

He felt himself on his own two feet again, looking at his hands when his eyes focused. The area around was colorful, the sky a brilliant blue. The only problem was..._he_ was in black and white. He stepped forward, not hearing his feet hit the stone ground. He mouthed something, but nothing came out. Even though he _knew_ he spoke something, nothing came out. As he looked further around, he recognized this place. He _remembered_ this place, and he remembered what took place here. As he stood in the deserted area, the silent wind blowing across his face.

As he began to blink, images began to spread through his thoughts, collecting like bad dreams from the past. I all rolled backwards, all from the one named Tifa, to the one armed Barret, to the experiment to the Shina Nanaki, to the pilot Cid, to the Ninja Yuffie. All dead by the hands of him. All the same way, all the same ending. He remembered the Shina president's last words on the phone as he stabbed him in the back, all the others that he had killed. Sephiroth finally decided to keep his eyes open staring up into the sky above. He knew what was left, but he didn't want to see it. Something had changed within him, and he didn't want to see what he had done before. But as his eyes could take no more, they shut for the final time, continuing to be open on the other side.

He was in his old body, looming on the balcony above. he saw Aerith, sitting there, praying for the planet to save them all. How foolish, he thought back then, when she knew she would die. He saw Cloud approaching slowly, the others standing by. He grinned menacingly, casting a possession spell on him and making him take out the Buster Sword. He saw him lift it above his head, as saw intended, until his stupid comrades had to step in and say something, knocking him out of it. This one when he knew he had to do it, to stop from summoning Holy.

He stood out the masamune, putting it in front of him as he jumped. He lifted it slightly to lunged it into her back, seeing her smile one last time before it sliced into her. The ribbon that tied her hair fell apart, the materia of Holy falling off and bouncing off the edge. He looked up to Cloud with cold, evil eyes and he pulled the blade out of her back again, letting her fall into Cloud's arms. He heard him speak, the words dull in his memories, but could still remember the tears that fell from Cloud's face. He remembered what he said after, flying up, back into the darkness.

"_Because you are...but a mere puppet..._"

Sephiroth, now in his present body, fell to his knees, his head feeling like it was about to explode. He put his hands on his head, unable to see him or the surroundings, because he was all in darkness. But he rose to his feet when he heard a voice speak, a women's voice.

"You're lost...aren't you?" the woman asked.

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he saw who it was, her being illuminating in a beautiful light. And it wasn't someone he was expecting....

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A/N HAHAHAHA!!!! I left you at a cliffhanger! Yea! Well, hope you liked this chapter, and hope it at least explains something. (By the way, I SO kicked Jenova's sorry arsh after Aerith died. Hey man, that was really sad, and no one makes me sad!!!! :(


	8. The Unknown One

**__**

The Unknown One

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, his eyes fixated on the woman before him. She smiled softly, walking towards him. He would've smiled back, but the only problem was...he had no idea who she _was_. 

"Who are you?" he questioned.

"My name...isn't important right now. What's important is that you must ask yourself one question...do you?"

"Do I what?" he asked, clenching his fists as she approached.

She noticed this, stopping. "Is your ambition great enough, your will strong enough to seek past your old memories?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are in your memories. If you do not seek past it, you'll never get out, and this shall be your eternity."

"Again who are you?"

She laughed. "Again, my name is not important, Sephiroth!"

He raised an eyebrow. "How did you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things about you," she stated. "But there are things you _need_ to know...about her."

"What?"

"Her past...the things she has gone through...why she is here..."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." She held out her hand. "Well, just see for yourself. Just take my hand."

Sephiroth slowly did what he was asked, the surroundings melting away to a beautiful blue sky once more. But this time it was out in a field, just a flatland. He looked at the woman who stared off in the distance.

"This was the day she was born, off in the distant kingdom somewhere. For this moment on, they would know she was different, she was special...and it would bring bloodshed..."

"What are you talking about?"

She turned to face him. "After they learned that she was not normal, they researched it and learned that there was another, a great grandmother who came from another world who possessed such wings. The word spread and other kingdoms learned of the healing power she had." She shut her eyes, the field fading into rubble and fire, a black, smoke filled sky above. Screams of pain, of death rang through his ears as the woman opened her eyes again, speaking. "They fought endlessly, until finally they reached the inner walls, and finally...They took her, killing everyone in their path, including her parents. She was only a year old then, ever able to speak anything."

She waved her hand, bringing the time path along. This time they were in a different kingdom, but the results were all the same. "Another few years past, locked away in a tower where no one could reach her, fed meals by a mute. Until one day, the same kingdom came back to reclaim her. They did so, but were no different and locked her away in an even more secure place. Again, a year later, the same kingdom attacked, placing her in the same place. It was all a prison to her, not protection, and through it all she could not speak, but learned how to understand, learned how to write by the mute. Soon enough, she was old enough to understand what was going on, and had had enough. So, she jumped out of the forty story window, her wings that had cursed her taking her wherever the wind went." Again the scenery changed, presenting a castle far off behind them. "But it only lead to another kingdom. She was so weak all she could do was ask for their acceptance, and not use her for her powers as the others had. The thought passed their minds, but their worlds had been there too, and didn't want to go there again. So they offered a piece of what they had, a place to live in peace. She took it, and so remained.

"When the door was opened for the first time, in her dreams she was able to see into our worlds, direct her vision to anyone she wanted. She saw you, Sephiroth, because she had asked for someone like her, no matter what your past was. She saw something within you, and wanted to meet you, to see how she should react to those around her who didn't seem like her. People had thought of her as an angel, and so she thought of you as one." The woman smiled. "As she had mentioned before, I presume."

"Yeah, she did..." he said skeptically. "Tell me, how do you know this?"

"When the Heartless came...I had nothing. I didn't care about anything, and so I let them take my heart. And so I have remained, here, in this darkness, and have seen everything that has gone on." She shook her head slowly. "But that's not important. She's here, somewhere, dwelling in her memories. I've brought you this far, but you need to find her yourself. I cannot find anyone within this place unless I know them in some way."

"But you found me. You know me?"

"Of course. You are...my relative..." It was the only words she could manage to choke out without having to break down crying.

"Who are you, for the last time?"

Her image began to fade, a wry smile on her face. "My name is Lucresia, and that is all you'll ever need to know." And with that, she disappeared, leaving him once again to this memory which he stood before.

***

He walked through the field, seeming never ending. But as he reached and area, occupied by one small, wooden house, to all he could see. As he moved around to the front, he saw a hill, a small willow tree sitting near it. And there, out of it all, sat who he had been searching for. He walked up, slowly approaching her as she stared off, her arms wrapped around her knees.

"This was my home..." she said suddenly, but he soon learned her mouth did not move, "for fifteen years. Alone, watching the worlds that I wanted to live in, but never got the chance." She looked up to him, her face emotionless. "I know who you were now. I saw your memories. Before I thought you just did it because you were manipulated, but now..." She turned her face away.

He kneed down, trying to explain. "But I was foolish then, I didn't understand..." He put a hand on her shoulder, but she flinched it away, her face now angry.

"I know why you're here. You want to save me, to get me from the Heartless. But how can I believe you, when the same grin you had when you killed that girl was the same when you killed the Heartless? You just want me for my healing powers, as everyone else did. You don't care if people die, and if I died you wouldn't care. If you don't care, why should I? Makes no difference anymore. There's no one left anyway. If you don't care, then I don't care. We're not going anywhere anyway."

Sephiroth sat back, shot down. He had no idea this was the way she was thinking. But he knew from the start that was the way she would act, it was the way everyone acted. His ghosts were restless, and would never allow him to leave the life he had set out before him. It didn't matter what he _wanted_ to be, it had been what he had _become_, and that was all. It didn't matter if he cared about anyway, because...they only got hurt in the process. Didn't matter which way, whether it be harm or mental, his past would creep forth and possess him, leading to future events to tell what was really _not_ him anymore.

She stood up suddenly, sighing. "But you know...I did care about you. But that doesn't matter, seeing who you'll never care about anyone else." That was when she started to walk away.

Sephiroth quickly stood up, running after her. He suddenly grabbed her hand, but she flinched away, turning to face him. "What, what do you _want_? I can't send you back, okay, I can't even speak in this place, I have to say things through my _head_! Please just leave me alone, so I may at least spend my eternity in darkness in peace."

As she turned away again, he just stood there, watching her cry. He didn't know what he should do at this moment. But he had to explain, he had to make amends somehow. His whole life he had made lies with his life, and yet somehow he had to say something, anything that his past would let through his throat. Finally, in being tense, he reached out his hand, putting them on her shoulders. It was the biggest move he had ever made, but he made a move that would finally vanish his cold soul. He put his mouth close to her ear, whispering.

"_If you will spend eternity here, then I will always spend it with you..._"

She stopped, turning around o face him. Something changed within her eyes, as if she believed _him_, and she did. She put up her hands, placing them on the sides of his face, and smiled in her tearful eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, Sephiroth's head on the side of hers. He then shut his eyes, as well as she.

Their world faded out, and soon enough they found themselves standing where they had been, only in what was the real world. A laugh came from behind and Kerah turned to face it, Sephiroth stepping in front of her and staring forth into darkness.

"Good job. You got out of your labyrinth of memories. Bravo. However," a figure stepped out onto a flight of steps, a pair of doors revealed behind him, "you won't have the time to live."

A glowing black orb formed in the man's hand, aiming for them...

****


	9. In Darkness Comes Light

**__**

In Darkness Comes Light

"Die!" shouted the man, firing the blast.

Sephiroth remained steady, waiting for the blast that would hit him. The power was immense, and he wasn't quite sure if he could deflect it. But he didn't have too.

Kerah suddenly appeared out in front of him, shaking her head. "N-no...don't hurt...Sephiroth!" She held out her hands, bringing the energy towards her, when she absorbed it into her palms. She stumbled, feeling weak, when suddenly another blast came at her. She absorbed that one too. Another one and another one came, and she absorbed all of those too. But with every one she was getting weak, and finally the man grinned, knowing it would be her last. And finally as she absorbed the last one, another came screaming at her, falling past her hands and hitting her square in the chest. She flew back into Sephiroth, making them both fly into a wall.

His head was dizzy, but as his eyes focused he could see Kerah reaching up her hand to the small, glowing spheres of light at where floating to the door. The aura that seem to be around everyone faded from her as the light did. She turned to face him, a light from within her falling out. She put a hand on the side of his face, reaching up with the last life she had, and slowly kissing him. He was surprised, but fell into sadness when her hand fell to the cold, dark floor. His eyes turned angry as he placed her head on the floor, standing up, and glaring at the man, who stood by the door.

"Once upon a time I was a killer," he stated, snapping his arm out to unleashed his black wing, clenching his fist. "I felt nothing for anyone, everything was just a game to me, people like pawns. She changed something in me once, for better or for worse, I don't know. But," the floor beneath him began to glow blue and black, his own being glowing a white. The man finally turned, seeing that he was now becoming a threat, "she's dead. You killed her, and thus I am not carrying out a sin, but revenge. So, you'll have the honor of being my last victim, and the first in a long time to be dead by this attack." He opened his hand, sending it up into the air and bringing it back to his chest clench, his self fading, but the lingering voice remaining. "Super Nova..."

The surroundings turned into the night sky, the man watching as his fate came tumbling towards him. It destroyed many planets, tumbling through an asteroid belt, and finally landing into the star of this planet. It exploded until it reached into this place, sending everything into flames. And before the man was vaporized into dust, he saw Sephiroth form that same, evil grin as before, the last of his darkness being realized...

Sephiroth turned slowly, looking back to Kerah. He had hoped when he had looked back, everything would be back to normal, but unfortunately it never happened. She still remained cold, emotionless. He picked her up, though, knowing he could not leave her here. He went to the door, seeming to be lured to it, and put a hand on it. The last thing he thought before he opened was the City of the Ancients, and as he looked through there it was. He stepped through, looking behind as there was no door anymore. But he sighed quietly, seeing the small, calm lake out in front of him, and walked towards there.

He remembered, from long ago, that this was the place Cloud buried Aerith after she died. It was very ironic that it had to turn out this way. But as he approached the water, his feet set in it, he heard a voice from behind, not having to turn back to know who it was.

"Funny how 'What goes around comes around' is true, isn't it, Sephiroth?" Cloud stated. "Seems you got a taste of what I went through, but only flaw now is that there is no one to sell your soul to, is there, if you ever did have one. Maybe you got what you deserved, who knows." And with that, he walked away, followed by Aerith, who's empathy got to her and had to take his hand for comfort.

With a moment of pause, he finally stepped out farther into the water. He set her into it slowly, watching as she floated away and soon sank. With that, he was left in silence, his thoughts wandering as he himself became numb, falling back. He just sat back and floated there, thinking of what he should do now. In most perspective he wanted to die, he just wanted to join Lifestream as he had before and get this miserable life over with. His life had already died long before, no light left in him. He had killed so many for no purpose, and now it had come back to get him. He didn't even have a _soul_, and that would've given him a motive to live. But as far as he knew, he was just a walking corpse.

He shut his eyes and finally sank, his hair falling up. He held his breath, and remorse about his life. And finally, when his air was choked, he looked up, his eyes widening to what he saw. His hands reached up, seeing the shadowy figure standing above him. They had wings, and wondered if this was the angel of mercy to take him away. Instead, he saw a smile appear on their face, kneeling down and reaching into the water with a hand. The angel grabbed his hand, pulling him up to the surface and Sephiroth taking a giant gasp on air, as he choked up the water that had been in his lungs. But as he settled, he looked up slowly seeing the smiling face that stood above the water.

She pressed on her throat, a light being revealed, and some being left to seep into her fingers.

"Some...your l-light...Can I keep...u-until I....get back mine?" she asked, her white hair drenched over her face.

He only nodded, falling to his knees. She did the same on the water, putting a hand on the side of his face.

"How...?" he questioned.

"Your l-light...save me...w-when I h-had...n-none left..."

"Kerah...I thought you..."

"D-dead? No, me not d-dead. Could be...but you save..." She smiled, leaning in close. "Y-you know...I s-still...love you...You?"

Spehiroth, for once in in life, smiled softly, standing up. He took her under her arms, holding her up in the air and bringing her back to where she was standing in the water. He put his hands on her shoulders, still smiling. "I always have."

She laughed, and he laughed with her. Kerah finally had someone who cared, Sephiroth the same way. He picked her up as he did before, carrying her to shore. She smiled up at him, soon pointing out a head.

"So w-where we go next?"

He just shrugged, beginning to walk. "Anywhere the wind takes us..."

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A/N well, that's it. Hope you liked it and please review on your way out!


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